Warm Front Scheme: North West

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to promote the take-up of the Warm Home scheme in the North West.

Gregory Barker: The Warm Front scheme provides a range of heating and insulation measures to low income vulnerable households living in energy inefficient properties. The Government has taken a number of actions to make it easier for households to access the scheme in its final year. This includes working closely with local authorities, fuel poverty stakeholders and delivery partners to encourage those on low incomes to apply for the help to which they are entitled. Significantly, on 12 September 2012, the Warm Front regulations were changed to help even more fuel poor households benefit.
	In addition, around 2 million low income and vulnerable households will also benefit each year as a result of the Warm Home Discount scheme, which started in April 2011. In winter 2011-12, this included over 700,000 of the poorest pensioners who received an automatic £120 discount on their electricity bills in winter 2011-12. This winter, over 1 million of the poorest pensioners will receive an increased discount of £130. 90% of these will receive the discount without the need to apply but all eligible and potentially eligible pensioner householders are written to each year. Regional breakdowns for this data are not available.

Asylum: Afghanistan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many asylum seekers living in the UK claim to have been members or supporters of the Taliban;
	(2)  how many asylum seekers living in the UK claim to have had connections with the Taliban.

Mark Harper: Data on the detail of asylum claims, including any associations the applicants may have had with proscribed organisations, is only held at the level of co-ordinated paper case files or within the notes section of the UK Border Agency's Case Information Database (CID) or in specialist national security systems. Such data is not aggregated in national reporting systems, which would mean this question could only be answered through a disproportionately expensive manual case search to collate the data.
	However, information on asylum applications, initial decisions, appeals and removals for all nationalities are published on an annual and quarterly basis.
	Latest figures are available in the release Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012 Second edition, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2012/?view=Standard&pubID=1088283

Entry Clearances

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applications made before 22 November 2012 had not been decided by 13 December 2012.

Mark Harper: The data requested is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, nor is the requested information available through published statistics.

Entry Clearances

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of using the Immigration Rules, laid on 22 November 2012, to determine applications made before that date.

Mark Harper: The Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 760, laid on 22 November 2012, together with the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 820, laid on 12 December 2012, makes some changes to the rules on the Points-Based System, other work-related routes and family and private life which came into effect on 13 December 2012 and apply to undecided applications submitted before that date. By contrast, other changes in HC 760 are subject to transitional provisions which disapply the new rules to earlier applications.
	The effect of applying changes in Immigration Rules to undecided applications in this way is to provide greater clarity for applicants and for the UK Border Agency as to the requirements applicable to all applications decided from 13 December 2012. The majority of the changes are minor corrections or clarifications, or are more generous than the previous rules, and so do not disadvantage applicants.

Immigrants: Detainees

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals detained under the detained fast track process had been detained for (a) fewer than three months, (b) between three and six months, (c) between six and 12 months and (d) more than 12 months in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 November 2012
	An asylum applicant will be detained for fast track processes only if, based on the information available at the asylum screening stage, it appears that a quick decision will be possible on the application, and if the applicant does not fall into one of the general exclusions for reasons of vulnerability. Given the nature of the DFT process it is crucial that the process operates flexibly and with efficiency. The majority of applicants who enter DFT are held for less than three months. However, data on the precise numbers is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
	Each applicant's detention is regularly monitored throughout the DFT process. In cases where it becomes apparent that the applicant's case cannot be determined fairly within a quick timescale, where there is a need to obtain medical or documentary evidence for example, or where there is credible evidence of torture, then the applicant is released from detention, with the case taken out of the DFT process, and placed into the non-detained route.

Immigration

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British residents applying to sponsor non-EEA partners for family reunification in the UK in the first six months of 2012 were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

Mark Harper: holding answer 22 November 2012
	The data requested is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, nor is the requested information available through published statistics.

Immigration

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British nationals were (a) successful in their non-EEA child reunification application and (b) unsuccessful in their non-EEA child reunification application in the first six months of 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 22 November 2012
	The data requested is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, nor is the requested information available through published statistics.

Immigration

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British residents applying to sponsor non-EEA elderly dependent relatives to join them in the UK in the first six months of 2012 were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

Mark Harper: holding answer 22 November 2012
	The data requested is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, nor is the requested information available through published statistics.

Police

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of serving police officers in England and Wales were male in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(2)  what proportion of serving police officers in England and Wales were (a) white British, (b) black Caribbean, (c) black African, (d) Pakistani, (e) Indian, (f) Bangladeshi and (g) of another ethnicity in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(3)  what proportion of serving police officers in England and Wales were (a) Christian, (b) Muslim, (c) Jewish, (d) Hindu, (e) Sikh, (f) of no faith and (g) of another faith in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012.

Damian Green: The proportion of male police officers in England and Wales, as at 31 March 1997 to 2012 can be seen in the table. Also provided within the table is the proportion of white, mixed, black or black British, Asian or Asian British, other ethnic group and not stated ethnic police officers in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2003 to 2012 (full-time equivalent). Police officer ethnicity breakdowns were not collected by the Home Office prior to 31 March 2003. The Home Office does not collect figures on police officers' faith, or their ethnicity for the more detailed categories requested.
	
		
			 Proportion of male, and ethnicities: white, mixed, black or black British, Asian or Asian British, other ethnic group and not stated police officers in England and Wales, as at 31 March 1997 to 2012 (1, 2) 
			 Percentage 
			 As at 31 March each year: Proportion of male officers Proportion of white officers Proportion of mixed officers Proportion of black or black British officers Proportion of Asian or Asian British officers Proportion of other officers ethnic group officers Proportion of not stated officers 
			 1997 85.0 — — — — — — 
			 1998 84.3 — — — — — — 
			 1999 83.9 — — — — — — 
			 2000 83.5 — — — — — — 
			 2001 82.8 — — — — — — 
			 2002 82.1 — — — — — — 
			 2003 81.0 94.8 0.7 0.8 1.0 0.4 2.3 
			 2004 79.8 95.3 0.8 0.9 1.2 0.4 1.3 
			 2005 78.8 95.0 0.9 0.9 1.3 0.4 1.4 
			 2006 77.7 95.1 0.9 0.9 1.4 0.4 1.2 
			 2007 76.7 94.7 1.0 0.9 1.5 0.4 1.4 
			 2008 75.8 94.6 1.1 1.0 1.6 0.5 1.4 
			 2009 74.9 94.3 1.2 1.0 1.7 0.5 1.3 
			 2010 74.3 94.1 1.3 1.0 1.8 0.5 1.3 
			 2011 73.7 94.1 1.3 1.0 1.9 0.5 1.2 
			 2012 73.2 93.6 1.4 1.1 1,9 0.6 1.4 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Police officer ethnicity breakdowns were not collected by the Home Office prior to 31 March 2003.

Broadcasting Programmes

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to increasing the amount of television drama produced in each constituent part of the UK.

Edward Vaizey: The Government puts a series of commitments on Public Service Broadcasters through their licence agreements. This specifies a percentage of network production produced outside London by value and by volume. The current quotas for regional programming are:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			 PSB Value Volume 
			 All BBC 30 25 
			 ITV1 35 35 
			 Channel 4 30 30 
			 Channel 5 10 10 
		
	
	In the March 2012 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced that the Government would introduce corporation tax reliefs to promote the sustainable production of high-end culturally British TV across the UK.

Broadcasting Programmes

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has made to the BBC and independent producers on increasing television production in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) each constituent part of the UK.

Edward Vaizey: The BBC is an independent body governed by the Royal Charter. The Royal Charter sets out the public purposes of the BBC, guarantees its independence, and outlines the duties of the Trust and the Executive Board. The current Charter runs until 31 December 2016. Under the terms of the BBC's Charter and Agreement, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the Corporation's day-to-day operations. How the BBC allocates its funding, in meeting its objectives, is a matter for the BBC. The BBC Trust is the governing body of the BBC and they make decisions in the best interests of licence fee payers and protect the independence of the BBC.

Atos Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral evidence of the Permanent Secretary of his Department to the Public Accounts Committee of 19 November 2012, HC 744-i, Q164, what the monetary value of service credits secured from Atos Healthcare was in (a) each month since May 2010, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012 to date.

Mark Hoban: In respect of the monetary value of service credits from May 2010 to date this information is commercial in confidence and cannot be released as it may prejudice future dealings between the Department and Atos Healthcare.
	Service credits are contractually agreed financial incentives designed to recognise a true pre-estimated financial loss to the Department as a result of failure to meet agreed contractual service level targets. They are an effective tool for aligning the incentives of the contracted supplier with key service levels objectives.
	Under normal operating circumstances a service credit becomes due when there is a failure to achieve both the monthly and cumulative contractual service levels. There are currently 168 service level targets which attract service credits for performance failure. These are assessed at regional and national level and grouped into specific benefit lines, Quality and accuracy, average actual clearance and customer service measures.
	In the majority of cases where there has been a service level failure, service credits become automatically applicable. Contractually the service provider then has three months in which they are able to earn back the financial service credit by achieving the service level target and redeeming one third of the service credit applicable in the month of failure in each of the following three months.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with chronic fatigue syndrome as their primary condition received (a) employment and support allowance and (b) disability living allowance in (i) Vauxhall constituency and (ii) England and Wales since May 2010.

Mark Hoban: Information on how many people with chronic fatigue syndrome as their primary health condition received employment and support allowance (ESA) is not readily available and to provide this would incur disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of recipients of disability living allowance (DLA) with main disabling condition of chronic fatigue syndrome by area from May 2012 to February 2012 is:
	
		
			  Area 
			 Month England Wales Vauxhall parliamentary constituency 
			 May 2010 28,200 1,800 — 
			 May 2011 32,110 2,000 50 
			 February 2012 34,910 2,130 60 
			 Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. “—” denotes nil or negligible. 2. February 2012 data are the latest available data. 3. DLA figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended for example if they are in hospital. 4. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. For example, a customer would not be awarded DLA on the basis of a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome the decision is based upon the care/supervision and difficulty getting around. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. 5. Main Disabling Condition: Where more than one disability is present only the main disabling condition is recorded. Source: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Disability Living Allowance

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled children under the age of three were awarded the care component of disability living allowance in each of the last three years; and how many such claims were considered under special rules.

Esther McVey: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of disabled children under the age of three who were awarded disability living allowance (DLA) care component in each of the last three years and of these the number that were considered under DLA special rules 
			 As at February: Number awarded DLA care component Number considered under special rules 
			 2010 14,800 (1)100 
			 2011 14,900 (1)200 
			 2012 17,300 (1)100 
			 (1) Figures of 500 or less are subject to a degree of sampling variation and therefore be used as a guide only. Note: 1. Figures are taken from 5% sample data. They have been uprated to be consistent with Works and Pensions Longitudinal Study data and are rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude cases where payment has been suspended e.g. if they are in hospital. 4. All recipients who qualify under the Special Rules are entitled to the highest rate care component of DLA. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of whether an applicant for employment and support allowance who has been placed in the support group and diagnosed with a progressive disease can be excused from any further work capability assessment.

Mark Hoban: Everyone who claims employment and support allowance (ESA) will undergo periodic work capability assessments (WCAs) to ascertain whether they still meet the conditions for the benefit. This is because entitlement to ESA is based on an individual's functional ability rather than the condition itself. Individuals with lifetime impairments may be able to adapt to those conditions and take up some work. So it is important we can provide them with the right support to get back to work when it is appropriate.
	A claimant for whom a return to work is considered unlikely within two years will be reassessed after two years. This is because, even for claimants who are unlikely to see an improvement in their health and who are unlikely to sufficiently adapt to their condition, it is important that we do not write them off completely. However, this reassessment will not necessarily involve a face-to-face assessment—where possible, the Department may make a decision using paper-based evidence.
	The WCA is an assessment of someone's functional capability, not just their condition. A disability or health condition will affect different people in different ways therefore it is important to treat people as individuals and assess their capability for work, rather than labelling them because of their condition.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons that the latest Labour Market Statistics show an increase of 5,000 in the number of people engaged on government employment and training programmes who are categorised as being employed.

Mark Hoban: Labour Force Survey figures on government supported training and employment programmes are based on relatively small sample sizes and therefore subject to considerable sample fluctuation. In addition, to reflect the Government's new Get Britain Working measures, ONS has introduced a revised set of LFS programme questions and a new method for allocating those who report participation on a programme into employment, unemployment or economic inactivity. Recent trends in the number of people the LFS records as in employment on Government-supported programmes are likely to have been affected by these changes and should be treated with caution. Looking at the whole period since the 2010 election, those on Government-supported programmes comprise only 6% of a total rise in employment of over 750,000.

Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in his Department in each of the last two years.

Mark Hoban: Since its formation, the Department for Work and Pensions has operated two pay-related employee reward schemes: End of year non-consolidated payments and in-year non-consolidated payments. The Department uses these payments to motivate and engage employees and ensure business performance.
	Currently 50% of DWP's 100,000 staff (the majority of whom deliver front-line services) earn £21,000 or less, with the lowest being paid £14,550 full-time equivalent.
	Staff from administrative grades to Grade 6 who received a 'consistently good' or 'wholly exceptional' end of year performance marking received an award. The top 25% of senior civil servants received an award in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance. End of year non-consolidated payments paid in one financial year are based on performance in the previous performance year eg payments made in 2011-12 relate to performance in the 12 month period from April 2010 to March 2011.
	The following table summarises the figures for all DWP staff including SCS:
	
		
			 End of year non-consolidated payments 
			     Staff receiving a payment 
			 Financial year Total paid (£ million) Proportion of pay bill (percentage) Average payment (£) Number Percentage of Department 
			 2010-11 48.68 1.87 428 113,607 97 
			 2011-12 45.59 1.68 443 102,963 94 
		
	
	DWP employees up to Grade 6 are eligible to be nominated for an in-year performance award. These are one-off payments, made to recognise exceptional achievements and/or contributions to business performance. In-year awards can be made at any time during the performance year and are paid either as retail vouchers between £25 and £50 or cash payments above £50. The following table summarises the figures. SCS are not eligible to receive these payments.
	
		
			 In-year non-consolidated payments 
			  Total paid  Voucher payments   
			 Financial year Cash (£ million) Percentage of pay bill Average cash payment (£) Net cash (£ million) Percentage of pay bill Average voucher payment (£) Number of payments issued (1) 
			 2010-11 2.41 0.09 154 2.28 0.09 Between 25 and 50 84,389 
			 2011-12 2.31 0.09 136 2.51 0.09 Between 25 and 50 89,497 
			 (1 )Vouchers and cash

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral evidence of the Permanent Secretary of his Department to the Public Accounts Committee of 19 November 2012, HC 744-i, Q165, how many people in each region are currently waiting longer than the Atos clearance target.

Mark Hoban: A snap shot of the current position of ESA cases outstanding above the target in each region in October 2012 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Central England 2,521 
			 London and Home Counties 17,350 
			 North East 401 
			 North West 305 
			 Scotland 2,128 
			 South England 18,236 
			 Wales 1,862 
		
	
	Considerable efforts have been put into reducing the backlogs and Atos Healthcare performance in the North West and North East Groups is back on target with significant improvements everywhere. DWP and Atos Healthcare continue to work closely together to address this issue, particularly in London and Home Counties and Southern Groups.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to section 8, page 17 of the Government's response to Professor Malcolm Harrington's Third Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), if he will publish the findings of the pilot to smooth the transition between the WCA and work which commenced in July 2012.

Mark Hoban: There are no plans to publish the outcomes from the pilot to smooth the transition between the WCA and Work which commenced on 23 July 2012 in Handsworth Benefit Centre and six linked jobcentres; Perry Barr, Washwood Heath, Handsworth, Erdington, Chelmsley Wood and Sutton Coldfield.
	It is being monitored as part of ongoing evaluation to test the value of four of Professor Harrington's year Two recommendations, to share work capability assessment outcomes with personal advisers and to provide additional information to claimants to ensure they understand what it means to be in the Work Related Activity Group and how to access that advice through the personal advisor in the Jobcentre.
	Early evaluation findings are encouraging, for example, a better understanding of roles within the end to end ESA and WCA process has ensured more focused interviews at jobcentres with claimants and greater claimant satisfaction.
	DWP is undertaking ongoing evaluation which is capturing further customer insight and management information. This is being used to identify further improvements to the pilot and to inform any plans for national implementation. An evaluation report will be produced in February 2013.

Work Programme

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have been referred to the Work Programme.

Mark Hoban: Official statistics on Work Programme referrals can be found on the Department's website via the DWP Tabulation Tool:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance on use of the tabulation tool can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Working Hours

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people working regular night shifts.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated December 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the estimate of the number of people working regular night shifts. 133648
	Estimates of employment come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. For the period April-June 2012 it is estimated that 361,000 people in UK worked permanent night shifts. This does not include people who occasionally work night shifts.
	The question of "shift pattern" is only asked in the April to June quarter, hence these are the latest estimates available. As they are only asked for one quarter of the year, we are unable to seasonally adjust the figures.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to lie between 326,000 and 397,000.

Africa

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to deter the implementation of homophobic policies by (a) the Government of Uganda and (b) other African governments; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The British Government is committed to ensuring that lesbian. gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people around the world are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill which is being considered by the Ugandan Parliament and which has very public support. We raise our concerns regularly with the Ugandan Government. I raised this issue with President Museveni during my visit to Uganda on 21 November, and with Henry Okello, Minister for International Affairs, on 10 December. The UK is in close contact with Ugandan civil society groups, and provides training and advocacy support in legal cases related to the protection of LGBT communities' human rights. Our Missions across Africa regularly look for opportunities to promote human rights and prevent discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Commonwealth

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department plans to take to promote human rights, good governance and the rule of law in the Commonwealth.

Hugo Swire: Commonwealth membership is based on shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Commonwealth Heads of Government have recently agreed on a charter which sets out the values to which Commonwealth countries adhere to. We plan to promote the charter in the UK during Commonwealth Week in March next year, and will work with Commonwealth members, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, to raise the profile of the charter and embed the values set out in the document. The charter, and a strengthened Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), with support from the Commonwealth Secretary-General's Good Offices, will be important tools to uphold Commonwealth values.
	The UK remains the largest funder of the Commonwealth, supporting the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation to promote democracy and development throughout member countries. Examples include sending election observer groups to 13 countries in 2011-12, and providing programmes, training and advice focused on public sector development, legislative drafting capacity, gender equality and member states' preparation for the UN's periodic reviews of human rights.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider not attending the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Colombo following human rights concerns in Sri Lanka.

Alistair Burt: It is too early to confirm UK attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in 2013. Ahead of the meeting, we will look to Sri Lanka, as any other CHOGM host, to demonstrate its commitment to upholding the Commonwealth values of good governance and respect for human rights. The British Government and wider international community regularly raises its concerns about human rights with the Government of Sri Lanka. These include issues of media freedom and the need to address longstanding issues of accountability and reconciliation after the war.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterparts on the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

Alistair Burt: The British Government has had numerous meetings with the Sri Lankan Government about the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM). These meetings have been both at ministerial and official level. I most recently discussed CHOGM formally with Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister Peiris in September, and it was also discussed in a meeting between officials from the British high commission in Colombo and Sri Lankan Deputy External Affairs Minister Perera last month.

Egypt

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian authorities regarding the deteriorating situation in that country and the need for restraint.

Alistair Burt: We have urged all sides to engage in dialogue, and refrain from violence. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made a statement to this effect on 5 December.
	I discussed the situation in Egypt with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mohammed Kamel Amr, in a phone call on 27 November and at a meeting in Tunis on 13 December. We discussed the demonstrations, prospects for dialogue and the political process. We are also in contact with members of the opposition in Egypt, and are monitoring the situation closely.

EU Budget

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the European Court of Auditors is able to declare that the implementation of future EU budgets is free from material error.

Greg Clark: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The UK, along with the Netherlands and Sweden, in February 2012 voted against the discharge of the 2010 EU budget and together called for a number of measures to improve EU financial management, including for the Commission and member states to pursue greater simplicity of rules, make payments and the use of EU money more transparent, and embed better management practices in programmes.

Mali

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote good governance in Mali.

Mark Simmonds: I called for an immediate return to civilian rule in Mali following the arrest by the military, and subsequent forced resignation of Prime Minister Cheick Modibu Diarra, in my statement on 12 December.
	The restoration of good governance, and the principles of constitutional democracy are (alongside security) among the key challenges Mali faces.
	We are working with the AU. UN, ECOWAS and key international partners to assist Mali towards holding democratic elections, and to restoring territorial unity, so that the principles of good governance can be the bedrock of the country's future stability.

Sri Lanka

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the government of Sri Lanka's commitment to the principles enshrined in the Harare Commonwealth Declaration.

Alistair Burt: The Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991 reaffirms the Commonwealth's commitment to fundamental principles, including democracy, the rule of law and good governance. We look to Sri Lanka, as with all Commonwealth members, to demonstrate its commitment to upholding these values. The British Government and wider international community regularly raises its concerns about human rights with the Government of Sri Lanka.
	The UK, in conjunction with the EU Heads of Mission, released a statement on 5 December. This statement expressed our concern about recent developments in Sri Lanka surrounding the rule of law and individual freedoms. We continue to press the Sri Lankan Government to ensure the protection of the independence of the judiciary and the fundamental rights of all citizens. The statement can be found at:
	http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/sri_lanka/documents/press_corner/20121205_en.pdf

Voluntary and Community Sector

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with charitable leaders on the financial outlook for the voluntary and community sector in the next 12 months.

Andy Sawford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with charitable leaders on the financial outlook for the voluntary and community sector in the next 12 months.

Nick Hurd: I have regular discussions with voluntary and community sector leaders. A recent report suggests that charitable income has risen by 5.5% in the past year against a challenging economic outlook. Government will continue to support voluntary organisations by promoting social investment, encouraging social action and opening up new opportunities to deliver public services.

Pay

Wayne David: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was paid (a) in year-end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in the Deputy Prime Minister's Office in each of the last two years.

Francis Maude: holding answer 18 December 2012
	For the purposes of corporate administration and financial management, the Deputy Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 529W.

Senior Civil Servants

David Blunkett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 15 June 2010, Official Report, column 419W, on senior civil servants: pensions, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) positions and (c) remuneration rates for all persons in receipt of Civil Service pensions who are employed on non-executive or consultancy contracts with Government departments at rates which exceed the ministerial element of the Prime Minister's salary.

Francis Maude: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer of 15 June 2010, Official Report, column 419W. The information requested is not held by the Cabinet Office.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the cost to businesses of accidents or delays on the A14 in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Suffolk in each of the last three years.

Stephen Hammond: The Department has not specifically estimated the cost to businesses of accidents and delays experienced on the A14 in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in each of the last three years.
	However, the A14 study highlights the delays experienced by users of the A14. The study reports are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a14-challenge

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the volume was of (a) HGV and (b) non-HGV traffic on the A14 in each of the last three years.

Stephen Hammond: The approximate average volume of HGV and non-HGV traffic on the A14, based on the annual average daily traffic flow, in each of the last three years, where data is available, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  HGVs Non-HGVs 
			 2009 7,058 32,842 
			 2010 7,188 33,155 
			 2011 7,197 32,009

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often (a) one carriageway and (b) two carriageways have been closed (i) for routine maintenance or upgrade and (ii) due to a road traffic accident on the (A) eastbound A14 and (B) westbound A14 in Suffolk in each of the last three years.

Stephen Hammond: The tables show the data requested, where figures are available. The requested information has been extracted from the Highways Agency's Schedule of Road works system. Entries on to the system do not always include a carriageway direction ie, eastbound or westbound. This is shown in the following tables as “Unknown direction”.
	
		
			 One carriageway closure for routine maintenance and upgrade 
			  Eastbound Westbound Unknown direction 
			 2009 4 5 1 
			 2010 11 15 3 
			 2011 4 5 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Two carriageway closures for routine maintenance and upgrade 
			  Number 
			 2009 1 
			 2010 1 
			 2011 1 
		
	
	
		
			 One carriageway closure due to a road traffic accident 
			  Eastbound Westbound Unknown direction 
			 2009 7 10 3 
			 2010 8 5 6 
			 2011 15 7 4 
		
	
	
		
			 Two carriageway closures due to a road traffic accident 
			  Number 
			 2009 4 
			 2010 4 
			 2011 1

Airports Commission

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to section 2.127 of the Autumn Statement 2012, for what reason the Government plans to bring forward the timetable for public consultation on operational freedoms and final decisions and on making these measures permanent.

Simon Burns: The Government's desire is to strike the right balance between enabling Heathrow, the UK's biggest and busiest airport, to operate as effectively as possible and to protect local communities from its environmental impacts.
	By seeking to bring forward the public consultation and final decisions on operational freedoms, we hope to reduce the period of uncertainty for all involved.

Network Rail: Compensation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received on the payment of compensation to businesses disrupted by local transport works carried out by Network Rail.

Simon Burns: Ministers take an interest in this issue, and Ministers and officials meet regularly with Network Rail to discuss a range of issues including the impacts of its engineering works strategy.
	However, Network Rail is a private sector company limited by guarantee and this is a commercial matter for direct resolution between the parties, in which Ministers have no powers to intervene.

Railways: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to agree any other management contracts for the operation of the three suspended rail franchise competitions for more than 13 months without conducting a tendering competition; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the terms of reference of the Brown review which have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has asked Richard Brown, Chairman of Eurostar, to lead an independent review into the wider rail franchising programme. This review will look in detail at how to get the franchise programme, including the three currently suspended competitions, back on track as soon as possible. This will report by the end of December and will be published thereafter. The Department for Transport does not wish to prejudice the findings of this review.

Rescue Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure an independent safety risk assessment is carried out into the closure of UK coastguard rescue co-ordination centres.

Stephen Hammond: Safety is this Government's top priority. Therefore rigorous and robust risk and impact assessments have been prepared and published on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's website:
	www.dft.gov.uk/mca
	to support the decisions we have taken.

Rescue Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of skilled staff within (a) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (b) Maritime Rescue Co-ordination centres in tackling incidents.

Stephen Hammond: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency keeps the operational capability of all its staff and volunteers under constant review, taking account of planned changes as set out in the blueprint which the Government published in November 2011.
	This includes staff within the agency's Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres.

Rescue Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the age profile and length of service is of coastguards at each Maritime Rescue Co-ordination centre.

Stephen Hammond: The age profile and length of service for coastguards, for each Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  Age  p rofile (years) 
			 MRCC <21 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 60+ Total 
			 London CG — 2 2 2 5 — 11 
			 Aberdeen — 8 12 4 4 2 30 
			 Belfast — 6 8 4 8 — 26 
			 Brixham — 1 6 5 11 3 26 
			 Clyde — 1 2 7 9 7 26 
			 Dover — 7 4 8 12 3 34 
			 Falmouth — 3 5 11 12 2 33 
			 Holyhead — 1 4 6 8 1 20 
			 Humber — 3 6 2 13 3 27 
			 Liverpool — 3 3 6 8 — 20 
			 Milford Haven — 3 2 7 8 3 23 
			 Portland — 3 2 7 12 2 26 
			 Shetland — 6 1 8 5 — 20 
			 Solent — 4 7 6 5 8 30 
			 Stornoway — 3 8 10 5 — 26 
			 Swansea — 3 8 6 4 1 22 
			 Thames — 2 5 5 8 3 23 
			 Yarmouth 1 3 5 2 4 4 19 
			 Grand Total 1 62 90 106 141 42 442 
		
	
	
		
			  Length of  s ervice (years ) 
			 MRCC <5 5-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 Total 
			 London CG 7 2 1 — 1 — — — 11 
			 Aberdeen 7 8 3 6 4 2 — — 30 
			 Belfast 7 9 3 3 4 — — — 26 
			 Brixham 7 6 4 7 1 1 — — 26 
			 Clyde 2 3 7 9 1 3 1 — 26 
			 Dover 13 13 4 2 — 1 1 — 34 
			 Falmouth 10 8 6 6 1 2 — — 33 
			 Holyhead 4 5 5 5 — — 1 — 20 
			 Humber 4 6 8 4 2 3 — — 27 
			 Liverpool 4 3 5 4 4 — — — 20 
			 Milford Haven 6 7 4 4 2 — — — 23 
			 Portland 8 7 5 3 3 — — — 26 
			 Shetland 8 3 2 5 2 — — — 20 
			 Solent 8 7 8 5 2 — — — 30 
			 Stornoway 8 4 6 6 — 2 — — 26 
			 Swansea 7 4 7 4 — — — — 22 
			 Thames 12 6 2 1 1 — — 1 23 
			 Yarmouth 4 5 3 3 1 — 2 1 19 
			 Grand Total 126 106 83 77 29 14 5 2 442

Road Traffic

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the change in traffic volumes on (a) the national strategic road network, (b) other A roads, (c) B roads, (d) other adopted public highways and (e) all adopted public highways in England in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

Stephen Hammond: A table containing road traffic volume in England, and the percentage change, for 2001 to 2011 has been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
	The table splits the road traffic figures between the strategic road network and local authority managed roads. Please note while the majority of the motorway network is included in the strategic road network, there are some small sections of motorway that are managed by local authorities. The traffic for these local authority managed motorways is presented separately.
	Robust estimates of traffic volumes for different categories of 'local authority minor roads' are not available.

Roads

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) length and (b) proportion is of roads in each local authority area in England which are (i) part of the national strategic road network, (ii) other A roads, (iii) B roads, (iv) other adopted public highways and (v) adopted public highways of any type.

Stephen Hammond: A table providing the length of public road within each local authority in England in 2011, broken down by road type has been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
	The road type categories used in the table are as follows:
	Strategic Road Network—motorways
	Strategic Road Network—'A' roads
	Local Highway Authority motorways
	Local Highway Authority 'A' roads
	Local Highway Authority 'B' roads
	Local Highway Authority 'C’ roads
	Local Highway Authority 'U’ roads
	A second table has been deposited, which provides the proportions of road length within each local authority in each of these categories.

Roads: Suffolk

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have occurred in Suffolk on each day of the week in each of the last three years.

Stephen Hammond: The Department only collects information relating to personal injury accidents, and therefore does not include in its statistics damage-only accidents.
	In each of the last three years, the total number of reported personal injury accidents occurring in Suffolk on each day of the week, were as follows:
	
		
			 Reported number of personal injury accidents in Suffolk, by day of week, 2009-11 
			 Number of accidents 
			  Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 
			 2009 220 276 302 297 266 311 275 
			 2010 188 249 266 293 281 293 242 
			 2011 193 240 268 283 288 332 247

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his statements of 15 October 2012, Official Report, columns 6-8WS, on West Coast Main Line, and 6 December 2012, Official Report, columns 83-4WS, on InterCity West Coast franchise, if he will publish the legal advice upon which he has based his decision to extend the arrangements for the ICWC management contract with Virgin Rail from nine to 13 months.

Simon Burns: This information is legally privileged and will therefore not be published.

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which EU directives his Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives his Department expects to transpose in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector;
	(2)  which EU directives his Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives his Department expects to transpose in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

Jeremy Wright: In 2011 the Ministry of Justice transposed the directive on certain aspects of mediation 2008/52/EC, which was implemented under The Cross-Border Mediation (EU Directive) Regulations 2011 SI 2011 No 1133, which came into force on 20 May 2011.
	The costs of transposition of this directive were negligible to the tax payer.
	In terms of impact on the private sector we would expect the use of mediation in cross-border disputes will enable disputes to be resolved in a more cost effective and timely manner, when compared to taking the matter to court either in the UK or in courts of another member state and for this directive to therefore reduce costs to business.
	No EU Directives were transposed by the Ministry of Justice in 2012.
	In 2013 the Ministry of Justice expects to transpose:
	Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings; and
	Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 November 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA.
	In 2014 and 2015 the Ministry of Justice expects to transpose:
	Directive 2011/99/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the European protection order;
	Directive 2012/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 on the right to information in criminal proceedings; and
	Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA.
	The Ministry of Justice conducted analysis of the potential costs associated with the above instruments, including for the public purse and the private sector, at the time that they were originally proposed. The content of the instruments has subsequently been amended during negotiations within the EU Council and with the European Parliament, generally resulting in downward pressure on costs of implementation. Following their entry into force, the Ministry of Justice is considering how best to transpose the above directives at minimal cost and in accordance with the Government's Guiding Principles for EU legislation(1).
	(1) Note:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/31637/11-775-transposition-guidance.pdf

Internet

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on (a) strategy and planning, (b) design and build, (c) hosting and infrastructure, (d) content provision and (e) testing and evaluation for his Department's websites in each of the last two years; and how much has been allocated for each such category of expenditure in 2012-13.

Damian Green: This response relates to the costs of the justice.gov.uk which is the website for the Ministry of Justice, its agencies and arms length bodies, providing a presence for some 27 organisations.
	2010-11
	Justice.gov.uk was redeveloped between November 2010 and March 2011 converging a large number of MoJ-related websites.
	
		
			 Category Notes Costs (£) 
			 (a) strategy and planning This cost covers the 9.5 FTEs who, all of whom had other responsibilities in addition to their duties on: www.justice.gov.uk 496,360 
			 (b) design and build  — 
			 (d) content provision  — 
			 (e) testing and evaluation  4,285 
		
	
	
		
			 (c) hosting and infrastructure This cost relates to search appliance used on the site. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of hosting and infrastructure costs forjustice.gov.uk. because of the broad nature of the ICT contracts in place at the time. In redevelopingjustice.gov.uk more cost effective hosting arrangements were put in place. This is reflected in the costs detailed for subsequent years. 53,000 
		
	
	2011-12:
	In 2011-12 justice.gov.uk was moved onto a more cost effective platform to complete the redevelopment started in 2010-11. The costs are as follows:
	
		
			 Category Notes Costs (£) 
			 (a) strategy and planning These are non-staff costs. Further strategy and planning, design and build was by existing staff (see staff costs as follows) 10,000 
			 (b) design and build  200,000 
			 (d) content provision All content provision and testing and evaluation was by existing staff (see staff costs as follows) — 
			 (e) testing and evaluation  — 
			 (c) hosting and infrastructure This cost covers the service level agreement, search and hosting for justice.gov.uk and a number of other applications and services. 187,000 
			 Staff costs 5.38 FTEs, all of whom had other responsibilities in addition to their duties on justice.gov.uk 224,514 
		
	
	2012-13
	For 2012-13 the forecast costs are:
	
		
			 Category Notes Costs (£) 
			 (a) strategy and planning Strategy and planning, design and build was by existing staff (see staff as follows — 
			 (b) design and build  — 
			 (d) content provision All content provision and testing and evaluation is by existing staff (see staff as follows) — 
			 (e) testing and evaluation  — 
			 (c) hosting and infrastructure This cost covers the service level agreement, search and hosting for justice.gov.uk and a number of other applications and services 135,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Staff costs 4.85 FTEs, all of whom have other responsibilities in addition to their duties on justice.gov.uk 237,528

Legal Profession

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what proportion of practising barristers in England and Wales were male in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(2)  what proportion of practising barristers in England and Wales were (a) white British, (b) black Caribbean, (c) black African, (d) Pakistani, (e) Indian, (f) Bangladeshi and (g) of another ethnicity in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(3)  what proportion of practising barristers in England and Wales were (a) Christian, (b) Muslim, (c) Jewish, (d) Hindu, (e) Sikh, (f) of no faith and (g) of another faith in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the gender, ethnicity or religion of barristers.
	Information on the gender and ethnicity of barristers is published by the General Council of the Bar in their “Bar Barometer” publication. The latest edition (published November 2012) can be found at:
	https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/media/1436638/bar_barometer_nov_2012_web_upload_higher_res.pdf

Legal Profession

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what proportion of solicitors practising in England and Wales were (a) white British, (b) black Caribbean, (c) black African, (d) Pakistani, (e) Indian, (f) Bangladeshi and (g) of another ethnicity in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(2)  what proportion of solicitors practising in England and Wales were (a) Christian, (b) Muslim, (c) Jewish, (d) Hindu, (e) Sikh, (f) of no faith and (g) of another faith in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012;
	(3)  what proportion of practising solicitors in England and Wales were male in each year from 1 April 1997 to 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the gender, ethnicity or religion of solicitors.
	Information on the gender and ethnicity of solicitors is published by the Law Society in their "Annual Statistical Report". The annual reports since 2000 can be found at:
	http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/representation/research-trends/annual-statistical-reports/

Probation: West Yorkshire

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people (a) completed and (b) passed a probation programme in each probation area in West Yorkshire in each year since 2010.

Jeremy Wright: There is a single probation trust which covers West Yorkshire. The following table shows the number of accredited offending behaviour programmes completed by offenders supervised by West Yorkshire Probation Trust in the financial years 2009-10 to 2011-12. The totals include completions of sex offender treatment programmes and domestic violence programmes.
	
		
			  Completions 
			 2009-10 743 
			 2010-11 528 
			 2011-12 377 
		
	
	There is no concept of ‘passing’ a probation programme, but satisfactory attendance and engagement on the part of the offender are required if it is to be successfully completed.
	The figures used in the reply have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Business: Devon

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage banks to lend to small and medium-sized businesses in (a) Devon and (b) Newton Abbot constituency.

Michael Fallon: The Government has a range of measures in place to enable and encourage banks to lend to small and medium-sized businesses.
	The Government and the Bank of England have launched the Funding for Lending Scheme that allows banks and building societies to borrow at cheaper rates from the Bank of England for up to four years. This creates a strong incentive for the banks to increase lending to UK businesses by lowering interest rates and increasing access to credit.
	The Government backed Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme has enabled banks and other finance providers to lend to small and medium-sized businesses that lack adequate collateral or financial track record to secure a normal commercial loan.
	Both of these measures are applicable across the whole of the United Kingdom.

Business: Finance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the 1,000 business finance advice mentors announced on 12 December 2012 were included in the allocation of mentors (a) announced by his Department on 15 November 2010, (b) referred to on 13 January 2011, Official Report, column 423, (c) referred to on 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 1076W, (d) announced by the Better Business Finance taskforce on 4 July 2011, (e) referred to on 13 July 2012, Official Report, column 401W and (f) referred to on 5 November 2012, Official Report, column 481.

Michael Fallon: No. The Business Finance Advisers referred to on 12 December are distinct from the national network of mentors. The Business Finance Advice Scheme (BFAS) network is the ICAEW, ICAS and ACCA's response to the Breedon recommendation to create a credible new kitemark for Business Finance Advisers (further detail is in the Government's response to the Boosting Finance Options for Business report, published 20 March 2012).
	The Business Finance Adviser brand helps small and medium-sized enterprises identify those qualified accountants who are best placed to offer professional, expert and qualified advice specifically on business finance issues. Members of this network are accountants placed to provide professional advice, and are not mentors, and are not included in the mentor allocation.
	In response to the specific points raised, there is no mention of mentors raised in the 13 January 2011, Official Report, column 423. Column 424 of that date, however, and the other references given all refer to the national network of mentors.

Construction: Industrial Health and Safety

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that current levels of skills, knowledge and training standards are maintained and further improved beyond the ongoing review of the Construction Design and Management regulations.

Michael Fallon: Officials for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills regularly meet with construction leads at the Health and Safety Executive to discuss a range of issues including those covering skills, knowledge and training standards.

Construction: Industrial Health and Safety

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution which the current Construction Design and Management regulations make to improving skills, knowledge and training levels on construction sites; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Responsibility for Construction Design and Management regulations lies with the Health and Safety Executive. Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills regularly meet with construction officials at the Health and Safety Executive to discuss a range of issues including those covering skills, knowledge and training standards.

Debts: Advisory Services

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure people seeking support with debt problems can distinguish between commercial and charitable providers offering responsible and high-quality services and irresponsible or lower-quality providers.

Jo Swinson: All those offering consumers support with debt problems should be licensed by the Office of Fair Trading. They set the standards they expect to see from businesses (whether commercial or charitable) offering debt management services.
	Government is also working closely with all sides of this industry, including creditors, to see whether a best practice protocol of debt management can raise the standards a consumer can expect. Progress on this project will be reported in the new year.

Higher Education: Business

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to encourage the development of links between employers and universities; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: Effective engagement between employers and universities is crucial to the future growth of the UK economy and is something this Government continues to promote.
	Our 2011 Higher Education White Paper commissioned Professor Sir Tim Wilson to undertake an independent review into how universities work with business to ensure graduate skills and employability meet the needs of business, and to maximise the university sector's capabilities in business-led research and innovation.
	The review was clear that much such engagement already exists but that there is still room for improvement. However, it is for universities and businesses to lead on driving forward change—they need to own their actions to improve their collaboration.
	The key role for Government and its agencies is in supporting both partners in a range of ways to make sure change is achieved. We are supporting partners in a range of ways:
	We announced funding for CIHE (Council for Industry and Higher Education) to develop a National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB), to gather evidence, share good practice and bring together university and business leaders, and support engagement between stakeholders. The centre will cover all aspects of HE-business working. It will focus particularly at the strategic level, bringing together university and business leaders and senior managers. It will be launched in January 2012.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working to support employers and HEIs to increase graduate employability. Most employers believe that graduates are generally well prepared for work, but concerns remain about employability skills. All English higher education institutions already set out in employability statements the range of support they provide to help students prepare for employment. Ultimately, Government, universities, business, and students themselves, need to work in partnership to ensure that graduate skills and knowledge match employer needs.
	We are improving information available on courses and outcomes—Key Information Set available since September
	http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/
	We are encouraging student entrepreneur skills through establishing student enterprise societies in every university by 2015 and the new Startup Loans for youth entrepreneurs. We are supporting Graduate Talent Pool website for a further three years to provide an internship matching service for SMEs and graduates
	http://graduatetalentpool.bis.gov.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!ekppgba
	We are supporting the Association of Graduate Recruiters with Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services to promote diversity in graduate recruitment.
	Our response to the Wilson review outlined Government support for universities and employer collaboration on research and innovation, including the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Programme; the new national Innovation Voucher programme which supports SMEs; and the network of Catapult Centres to help commercialise new and emerging technologies.
	The 2012 autumn statement, 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-82, announced an additional £600 million for facilities for technological R&D and Research Council infrastructure and in October we announced an additional £200 million for the Research Partnership Investment Fund adding to £100 million provided at Budget 2012, which will build on strategic partnerships between universities and businesses. In September, a further £6 million of Higher Education Innovation Funding was allocated between the top HEIF performing HEIs to help them in further driving growth, creating and supporting innovative enterprises and building strategic relationships.
	Through business-led LEPs, we are devolving power to where it can be used most effectively. HEIs are represented on most LEP boards (34 of 39) and our autumn statement response to Heseltine recommendations set the scene for HEI engagement on developing new LEP strategic local growth plans.
	A task force of UK Business Schools established following the Mid-Sized Growth review published their final report on 22 November
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/b/12-1290-business-school-mid-sized-business-collaboration.pdf
	They make practical recommendations to build better engagement between MSBs and their local business schools. During their research they uncovered some excellent examples of collaboration but there is room on both sides for much more. The report has been welcomed by influential organizations including CBI, Association of Business Schools and the Institute for Family Business.

Human Embryo Experiments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with their Ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health on (i) embryo research, (ii) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and (iii) stem cell research; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I meet with Department of Health Ministers regularly to discuss a range of issues.

Manufacturing Industries: Vocational Guidance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to improve the status and profile of manufacturing as a career path; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: There is a wealth of careers in the UK manufacturing industry, which currently employs around 2.5 million people. Manufacturing offers one of the most exciting and dynamic careers possible, with enormous scope and potential to do something really worthwhile and be well rewarded in the process.
	There is a role for Government in ensuring that there are strong, consistent messages about the importance of manufacturing in the UK economy, and in highlighting UK manufacturing excellence. If we are to equip manufacturers with the skilled employees they need to compete and grow in the future, we must incentivise young people to choose careers in the sector.
	We launched the Make it in Great Britain campaign to challenge people's outdated views of manufacturing, raise its profile, promote the excellent career and investment opportunities that it presents and help inspire a new generation of manufacturers. The first phase of the campaign culminated in a free exhibition which celebrated the best of British manufacturing, held at the Science Museum during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
	Over 40,000 visitors visited the exhibition. We are now looking at wider legacy and how best to embed the campaign learning across Government and building greater awareness of UK manufacturing.
	This campaign builds on our work with industry through the successful “See Inside Manufacturing” programme, which has opened young people's eyes to the career opportunities available in manufacturing by showing them around some of the UK's leading industrial companies. This is currently available across three of the largest manufacturing sectors; automotive, aerospace and defence, and food and drink. We are now looking at extending to further sectors across the UK in 2013. Along with the exhibitions showcasing British manufacturing excellence regularly hosted by BIS, these initiatives have helped us reach a new audience.

Overseas Trade: Israel

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what advice he is giving to UK companies who are doing or planning to do business with Israeli settlements.

Michael Fallon: Our position on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is: they are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and make a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, harder to achieve. We consistently urge the Israeli authorities to cease all settlement building and to remove illegal outposts, as required under international law and in fulfilment of Israel's obligations under the Roadmap.
	International law does not impose obligations on corporations, and for a company to operate in Israeli settlements is not, per se, contrary to UK law. So we do not provide advice or guidelines to UK companies who operate, or are considering operating, in Israeli settlements. However, if we are approached by these companies we make clear our position on settlements as above.

Students: Loans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 35WS, on advanced learning loans, 
	(1)  how the £50 million bursary fund will be distributed to recipients of advanced learning loans; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how the £50 million bursary fund for recipients of advanced learner loans will be distributed by colleges.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 17 December 2012
	All colleges and training organisations which have received a 24+ Advanced Learning Loans facility from the Skills Funding Agency have also received an indicative Bursary Fund allocation for the 2013/14 academic year. The agency expects to confirm final amounts for each provider in December. The Bursary Fund will be distributed at providers' discretion to vulnerable and disadvantaged learners taking out a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan.
	Indicative Loans Facilities have been calculated for each provider based on the number of new starts in the 2011/12 academic year on provision that will in future be covered by loans. The proportion of this provision delivered by individual colleges and training organisations was then applied to the overall national budget in order to give individual loan facilities. This same proportion was applied to the Bursary Fund budget to create Loans Bursary allocations.
	The Bursary Fund will comprise of £17 million in the 2013/14 academic year and £33 million in the 2014/15 academic year. Further guidance for colleges and training organisations will be published in the Skills Funding Agency Funding Rules in January 2013.

Livestock: Exports

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of live exports of (a) sheep, (b) pigs, (c) cattle and (d) horses was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Heath: holding answer 18 December 2012
	The following table shows the value of UK exports of sheep, pigs, cattle and horses for each year from 2007 to 2011 as recorded in HMRC overseas trade statistics.
	
		
			 Value of UK exports of live sheep, pigs, cattle and horses 
			 £ million 
			 Type 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Live sheep 0.1 2.4 5.0 4.3 7.0 
			 Live pigs 10.6 3.0 3.0 2.5 5.9 
			 Live cattle 2.5 1.5 0.2 0.1 0.5 
			 Live horses 331.3 323.6 328.2 244.3 261.9 
			 Source: HM Revenue and Customs Data prepared by Trade Statistics, Analysis and Evidence Team, DEFRA

Livestock: Transport

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the cost of veterinary checks for animals transported (a) around the UK by road and (b) from the UK by sea are borne by the companies undertaking the transport or by the public purse.

David Heath: Normally, the internal commercial transport of animals within the UK by road vehicle are not subject to any form of veterinary check.
	In relation to exports of animals, exporters bear the costs of veterinary checks for export certification purposes which are undertaken by private Official Veterinarians (OVs).
	In terms of any other veterinary checks made in relation to exports of live animals, which are covered by the EU legislation on the protection of animals during transport (Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005) the only costs that can be recovered from the person responsible for the animals is in any situation where a breach of the legislation is identified and the competent authority is required to take action to safeguard the welfare of the animals.

Rural Areas: Broadband

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps he has taken to simplify the roll-out of broadband in rural areas.

Richard Benyon: Under the Government's £530 million rural broadband programme the target is for at least 90% of premises to have access to superfast broadband, with the final 10% areas receiving a minimum standard broadband of 2 Mbps. DEFRA is working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) on the development of broadband policy and delivery of the rural programme.
	Projects are being led and procured by local authorities and are being delivered in a timetabled pipeline. To help with the procurement process, BDUK has established a framework agreement to provide a consistent approach to delivery. The framework process will be quicker and procurement costs reduced.
	DCMS has also established a Broadband State Aid National Competence Centre which can give state aid approval for broadband projects without them each needing to get their own approval from the European Commission.
	A package of broadband measures to stimulate economic growth was announced by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), on 7 September. It included new measures to allow overhead broadband lines and street cabinets to be installed in any area (except in Sites of Special Scientific Interests) without the need for planning or other permission. The Growth Bill proposes a relaxation of planning requirements to allow street cabinets and overhead lines to be introduced much more easily, saving time and money for operators.

Africa

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will take steps to withhold aid from (a) the Government of Uganda and (b) other African governments in order to deter the implementation of homophobic policies; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: Our financial aid to the Government of Uganda, and other countries, is predicated on partnership principles in fundamental commitments and agreed principles which include poverty reduction, respect for human rights, improved public financial management, and promoting good governance.
	The UK Government is committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are therefore concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament. We have raised our concerns regularly at the most senior levels of the Ugandan Government.

Consultants

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the findings were of the report on her Department's use of private consultants.

Justine Greening: The advice found that the Department's capacity to achieve value for money from suppliers had significantly increased since 2010. During the period 2005 to 2010, including 2008-09 when the hon. Member was a Minister, contracts worth around £1 billion were awarded, with only a small fraction subject to direct ministerial scrutiny. The advice also identified opportunities to further improve value for money; including introducing a threshold at which Ministers sign-off contracts with suppliers, and action is being taken as a result. No strategic value for money review had taken place under the last Government.

Consultants

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps or policy changes have been implemented in relation to her Department's use of private consultants other than meetings with private consultants.

Justine Greening: New controls have been introduced—ministerial approval is now required for the award of all supplier contracts over £1 million and for key areas of administrative spend, and processes are being strengthened to ensure tougher monitoring of supplier performance. These controls provide direct, systematic ministerial oversight of the awarding of large supplier contracts in a way which significantly differs from previous practice. Under the previous system, from 2005-10, including 2008-09 when the hon. Member was a Minister, contracts worth around £1 billion were awarded, with only a small fraction subject to direct ministerial scrutiny. No strategic value for money review had taken place under the last Government.

Developing Countries: Land

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will discuss with the World Bank its policies on the financing of large-scale land acquisitions.

Alan Duncan: The UK Government believes that private sector investment in poor countries, and the growth of small and large commercial agriculture, are key to global food security and economic growth in Africa. When done well, and in conjunction with the rights and interests of those living on the land, commercial investments in agriculture have the potential to transform people's lives.
	The need for responsible investment also applies to investments supported by the World Bank. The UK Government supports the World Bank work on land and welcomes the efforts the Bank is making to be more transparent in its land programmes. We are actively engaged in discussions with the World Bank on its investment policies, including on land, through regular discussions led by the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), at the annual and spring meetings, through our presence on the board and through working-level communication.

Developing Countries: Land

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on improving land governance and security of tenure for the rural poor in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: The UK Government, through its international development programme, aims to improve access to and productivity of land, and ensure that people's rights are protected. Improving land governance, by addressing the institutional framework, land management and administration and systems to resolve disputes, is essential to improving the security of land rights.
	The UK Government takes a context specific and evidence-based approach to land governance and securing land rights for the rural poor. Examples of ongoing projects include helping to secure land tenure of local communities in Mozambique and increase sustainable land management.

Developing Countries: Land

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what operational projects her Department is currently funding that aim to support the registration of land rights in developing countries;
	(2)  how much her Department spent on projects to establish land rights in developing countries in the last five years for which figures are available;
	(3)  how much funding her Department currently provides to governments in Africa to support their capacity to register land rights.

Justine Greening: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not directly track spending on ‘establishing or registering land rights’. This is not one of the standardised categories which all members of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development use to describe how they allocate their resources. Improving land rights is often one component of larger programmes, for example on agriculture or rural development.
	UK aid is supporting efforts to secure land rights for individuals, businesses and communities in at least eight countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and through investments in key multilateral organisations. Examples of ongoing projects include supporting rural communities in Mozambique to register their land and helping at least 4 million landholders obtain formal titles in Rwanda. The International Fund for Agricultural Development, to which DFID provides core funding, supports poor people to secure their land rights in about 45 countries. It is estimated that DFID has at least £100 million worth of commitments on improving land and property rights for the current spending review period.

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the announcement she made at the Sanitation and Water for All high level meeting in Washington US, April 2012, what steps she has taken to meet her Department's target of doubling the provision of sanitation by 2015; and how progress against this target will be measured.

Justine Greening: We aim to meet this target through programmes managed by our offices in countries in Africa and Asia, and existing partnerships with a range of organisations such as the Water and Sanitation Program, Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor and WaterAid, as well as through exploring further options including new partnerships with the UN, civil society and the private sector.
	We currently have water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes in 15 countries and these are the principal routes through which we will deliver our results.
	Once further programmes are approved, they will be made publically available via the DFID website, alongside annual reviews of progress.
	Specific results of DFID's ongoing WASH programmes are detailed in the ‘DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12’. Results from the implementation of more recent commitments will be detailed in the next annual report, due in June 2013.

Developing Countries: Sexuality

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy not to allocate direct aid to governments which are legislating to discriminate against people based on their sexuality; and if she will make representations to the Ugandan Government in this respect.

Justine Greening: Our financial aid to the Government of Uganda, and other countries, is predicated on partnership principles in fundamental commitments and agreed principles which include poverty reduction, respect for human rights, improved public financial management, and promoting good governance.
	The UK Government is committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are therefore concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament. We have raised our concerns regularly at the most senior levels of the Ugandan Government.

Syria

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what safeguards are in place to ensure that UK aid is not being used by jihadist forces operating within the Syrian opposition.

Alan Duncan: All of the UK's humanitarian aid is channelled through trusted, neutral and impartial humanitarian agencies who have a proven track record of delivering aid in complex operating environments. In order to minimise misappropriation of aid, we are working with multilateral agencies, such as the UN, or with International NGOs with whom we are carrying out due diligence checks. We are monitoring the situation inside Syria and the region to ensure UK aid is not misused. Our partners assure us that aid is reaching those in need despite the challenges.
	In addition to, but clearly separate from, our humanitarian programme, the UK is providing practical support to Syrian civil society and opposition groups, with whom Her Majesty's Government have a continuing political and developmental relationship. We have put in place a mechanism to undertake vetting of these groups, prior to providing support.

Banks: Loans

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Bank of England and (b) the financial services industry on the funding for lending scheme and its availability to the real estate sector.

Greg Clark: We have regular discussions with the Bank of England and financial institutions on credit conditions. The Funding for Lending Scheme is designed to increase bank lending in aggregate and is not targeted at any particular sector of the economy.

Capital Allowances

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what benchmarks or targets his Department has set in relation to the effect of the temporary increase of the Annual Investment Allowance from 2013 to 2015.

David Gauke: The Government's ambition is to encourage exports and investment as a route to a more balanced economy. The increase in the annual investment allowance (AIA) for two years from £25,000 to £250,000 was designed to provide temporary support for business investment in the current economic climate. The measure particularly supports small and medium sized businesses by reducing the cost of investing in qualifying plant and machinery.
	The autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, policy costings document:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/as2012_policy_costings.pdf
	sets out the Government's estimates of the effects of this measure.

Economic and Monetary Union

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse has been of support (a) pledged and (b) paid for the European single currency to date; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The UK's exposure to the existing financial assistance packages to euro area member states arises through; the UK's bilateral loan to Ireland; European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) loans from the EU to Ireland and Portugal; and International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme loans to Ireland, Portugal and Greece. We expect all of these loans to be repaid.
	For the status of the UK's bilateral loan to Ireland, I refer my hon. Friend to the most recent report provided under section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010, laid before the House on 15 October 2012:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9781909096097/9781909096097.asp
	The European Commission's website provides information on all financial assistance to EU member states:
	http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/assistance_eu_ms/index_en.htm

Economic Situation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recent International Monetary Fund report on the effect ratio of cuts in the UK on gross domestic product.

Greg Clark: Fiscal, multipliers estimate the impact of different elements of tax and spending consolidation on GDP. The Government notes the International Monetary Fund's discussion on fiscal multipliers in their World Economic Outlook. The OBR's October 2012 Forecast evaluation report did not see evidence to suggest that multipliers were significantly different than estimated in the June Budget 2010 forecast. The OBR has not altered the estimated fiscal multipliers being used in its latest forecast.

Employee Ownership

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer following his Department's consultation on employee owner status, whether employee ownership shares will be treated as employee related securities as defined under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

David Gauke: It is anticipated that shares issued under the employee shareholder status will be employment related securities as defined in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
	As announced at the autumn statement on 5 December, the Government are considering options to reduce income tax and NICs liabilities that arise when employee shareholders receive shares under the status, including an option to deem that employee shareholders have paid £2,000 for shares they receive. This option would mean that the first £2,000 of share value received under the new status would be free from income tax and NICs.

Employee Ownership

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' consultation on employee owner status, whether it will be necessary for employee ownership shares to confer voting rights in order to qualify for exemption from capital gains tax on disposal.

David Gauke: The type of shares used as employee shareholder shares will not be specified, in order to allow companies to design arrangements that meet their own commercial requirements and the requirements of their employees. The shares will not have to carry voting rights in order for gains on them to be exempt from capital gains tax.

Employee Ownership

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' consultation on employee owner status, whether employees will be required to have paid market value as defined in sections 272 and 273 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 for employee ownership shares to qualify for exemption from capital gains tax on disposal.

David Gauke: Employee shareholders will not provide consideration or payment for any shares they receive under the new employment status, other than by entering into the agreement that they will be an employee shareholder. The actual value of that consideration is immaterial.

Excise Duties: Beer

Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from Oxfordshire supporters of the Campaign for Real Ale on the abolition of the beer duty escalator.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers and officials receive and consider a wide variety of representations from organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the-process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organizations. This is available online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Licensed Premises

Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what research he has undertaken or commissioned on the effect of the level of duty and VAT on beer on the number of pubs and of people employed by them;
	(2)  what evidence he has considered of the relationship between the level of duty on beer and total receipts of beer duty;
	(3)  what steps he plans to take to improve commercial prospects and employment in the pub industry.

Sajid Javid: The Government keeps all taxes under review and regularly monitors the industry and alcohol consumption to ensure it is well informed of the impact of alcohol duty rates. A wide variety of factors are considered when the Government decides alcohol duty rates, including the public finances, the impact on business, receipts from alcohol duty, the likely impact on the illicit trade and the broader social impacts of taxation.
	Budget 2012 made no further changes to alcohol duties, beyond the increases designed and pre-announced by the previous Government.
	The Government's ambition is for the UK to be the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business. In support of this aim the Government have taken a number of steps to support business, from which pubs and brewers will benefit, including an additional reduction in the main rate of corporation tax, a reduction in the small profits rate and a further extension of the small business rate relief holiday until April 2014. Local authorities have also received wide powers to grant business rate discounts to businesses, including pubs and brewers, as they consider appropriate.

Financial Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to the involvement of the Financial Ombudsman Service in dealing with complaints about interest rate hedging products as part of an independent appeals process resulting from the current review arrangements by the Financial Services Authority; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects the full review by the Financial Services Authority into the sale of interest rate hedging products to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The FSA has been in discussions with the Financial Ombudsman Service with regards to complaints about interest rate hedging products.
	The FSA have confirmed that the full review process will begin by 31 January 2013 and the majority of cases will be completed within six months. This means that the majority of businesses will have had their case reviewed, and where appropriate, received redress by the end of July.

Non-domestic Rates

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2012, Official Report, columns 619-20W, on non-domestic rates, how many appeals against valuations for business rates by the Valuation Office Agency were outstanding at the end of the (a) 2011-12 financial year and (b) 2010-11 financial year; what amounts were in dispute at each point; and whether he is satisfied with the efficiency of current procedures.

David Gauke: holding answer 17 December 2012
	The numbers of formal challenges (appeals) against valuation assessments in the 2005 and 2010 England and Wales local ratings lists that were unresolved on 31 March for each of the two previous financial years, are provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Formal challenges 2005 rating list 2010 rating list 
			 Unresolved as at1 31 March 2011(1) 113,000 220,650 
			 Unresolved as at1 31 March 2012(1) 76,410 241,700 
			 (1 )VOA Official Statistics, Local Rating Lists: Challenges, May 2012: http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/statisticalReleases/120503-localRatingListChallenges.html 
		
	
	There are currently no official statistics available for total rateable value under challenge. These will be included in a new experimental statistics release for business rates currently under development, the release date for which will be announced as soon as possible.
	The VOA cleared 190,000 appeals in 2011-12 and expects to have cleared over 400,000 appeals in the two years to the end of March 2013. Around three quarters of those appeals result in no change. The VOA has prioritised the clearance of appeals by improving efficiency, diverting resources from other work areas, and recruiting additional frontline staff. These measures are delivering significantly higher appeal clearances.

Pensions: Tax Allowances

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the yield to the Government (a) in 2013-14 and (b) for the next five financial years if the restrictions to pensions tax relief announced in the Autumn Statement 2012 were to be brought forward by a year and commenced in April 2013.

David Gauke: The changes to pension tax reliefs announced in the autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, are to take effect for 2014-15 rather than for 2013-14 to help manage complex delivery issues for pension schemes and scheme members. An estimate of yield from introducing the changes in April 2013 is therefore not available.

Personal Income

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change there has been in the average net annual income between 2007 and 2012.

David Gauke: Figures for the median taxpayer income since 2007 are published in HMRC’s table 2.4. Since 2007, the median salary has risen from £18,500 to a projected £21,300 in 2012-13 cash terms. Despite the value of the median total income being projected to increase by nearly £3,000, the tax paid on the median income will only increase by £168. Therefore the median income recipient is expected to receive a net income of £17,016 in 2012-13 which will be an increase of £2,632 since 2007-08.

Public Expenditure

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the latest population projections, as calculated in the 2011 census, will be used by Government departments in the calculation of future grant settlements.

Danny Alexander: Departments will consider all relevant factors when calculating future grant settlements. Where appropriate, this will include population or population-related elements. It is up to departments-to decide on the source of this data.

Shares: Fraud

Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been investigated by the Financial Services Authority for (a) boiler room and (b) recovery room scams in each year for which figures are available.

Greg Clark: This is a matter for the Financial Services Authority (FSA). I have asked the FSA to write to the hon. Member with the information requested. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Tax Allowances: Charities

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to end tax relief for charities which fund Israeli settlements.

Sajid Javid: Where an organisation is recognised as a charity by the Charity Commission and by HM Revenue and Customs it is entitled to UK tax relief on its income, subject to that income being applied for wholly charitable purposes only. Applying income for wholly charitable purposes can include making a payment to a body outside the UK, but for tax relief to remain intact, HM Revenue and Customs must be satisfied that the charity has taken reasonable steps to ensure that payment will be applied for charitable purposes only.
	The Charities Act 2011 lists charitable purposes, which are followed for UK tax purposes. It follows that if payments are made to organisations in Israel and those payments are applied for wholly charitable purposes, the charity remains entitled to tax relief.
	If a charity applies its income for non-charitable purposes, tax relief is denied, and where it has already been given it is recovered.

Tax Avoidance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will launch an investigation into large-scale tax avoidance and ways to tackle it.

David Gauke: holding answer 4 December 2012
	The vast majority of people and businesses in the UK do not try to avoid their tax and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is consistently looking at ways to tackle the small minority who do. On 3 December we announced that we would go further to clamp down on those avoiding or evading paying their taxes by allocating an additional £77 million in funding to HMRC during this spending review period.
	This investment will secure a further £2 billion in additional revenue in 2014-15, bringing the total additional revenue through HMRC's compliance activity to £22 billion over the spending review period. We also announced that we would strengthen the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes rules and introduce the UK's first General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR). Once introduced, the GAAR will act as a powerful deterrent to those engaging in abusive avoidance schemes and, where such schemes persist, will also improve HMRC's means of tackling them effectively. The autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, will provide a further update on the Government's efforts to tackle tax avoidance.

Universal Credit

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how best to reduce marginal effective tax rates under universal credit.

Sajid Javid: Universal credit parameters were set at the autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-822, following discussions between HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions. One key parameter is the taper, the rate at which universal credit will be withdrawn.
	The single taper in universal credit will withdraw benefits at a rate of 65p for every £1 of earnings. The impacts of this on marginal deduction rates for households likely to claim universal credit is set out in the Impact Assessment for Universal Credit available on DWP's website:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/universal-credit-wr2011-ia.pdf

Working Tax Credit: Merseyside

Alison McGovern: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) Wirral South constituency and (b) Merseyside receive working tax credit; and what the average weekly payment is.

Sajid Javid: HMRC publish tax credit statistics based on finalised awards every year, the latest of which is the HMRC publication ‘Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics: Finalised Annual awards 2010-11 Geographical Analysis’. This publication can be accessed from:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/fin-geog-stats.htm#2
	Details on the number of families benefitting from working tax credit (WTC) can be found in Table 2 (Merseyside), and Table 3 (Wirral South). The requested statistics have been reproduced in the following table for convenience.
	The figure for average weekly payment is the average payment across all those benefitting from tax credits in the respective regions, not just those receiving WTC.
	
		
			  WTC and CTC (1)  (thousand) WTC only  (thousand) Average weekly payment (£) 
			 Wirral South 1.8 0.5 74.70 
			 Merseyside(2) 48.5 17.7 88.40 
			 (1) CTC = child tax credit (2) Merseyside includes the following local authorities: Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, Wirral 
		
	
	WTC only families will definitely be in receipt of WTC. However those benefitting from WTC and CTC, will benefit from WTC through a higher entitlement although they may not actually receive it, as this part of their award is tapered away first.

Afghanistan

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make a quarterly report to the House on the weekly totals of fatalities of (a) International Security Assistance Force forces, (b) Afghan civilians and (c) Afghan National Army forces.

Andrew Robathan: The UK Government publishes monthly progress reports on Afghanistan which, when appropriate, contain details of casualties in Afghanistan. These are laid in the Library of the House and are also available online at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-progress-reports
	The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) publishes casualty reports on its website after each ISAF fatality sustained on operations in Afghanistan at the following link:
	http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/casualty-report/index.php
	Although we investigate carefully all alleged incidents involving UK forces, the UK Government does not record total figures for civilian casualties in Afghanistan because of the immense difficulty and risks that would be involved in collecting robust data. The United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) releases its own report, every six months, which records details of civilian casualties. These reports can be accessed through UNAMA's website at the following link:
	http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=12265&language=en-US
	The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan does not release figures for Afghan National Army casualties.

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which EU directives his Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives his Department expects to transpose in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector;
	(2)  which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

Andrew Murrison: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the then Minister for Defence Personnel Welfare and Veterans, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan), on 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 17W, which provided the direct costs associated with transposing EU Directive 2009/81/EC, which remain unchanged. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is unable to estimate the wider cost of this directive to the public purse. The private sector has estimated that it cost around £2.7 million for industry to become familiar with the new
	The MOD is not responsible for any further EU measures requiring transposition into UK law, nor have any other regulations been introduced as a result of EU legislation. No directives or regulations are due to be transposed or introduced as a result of EU legislation during 2013-15.

Germany

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what official guidance his Department issued to service personnel based in Germany on legal assistance insurance between 2004 and 2011.

Mark Francois: holding answer 17 December 2012
	A range of guidance and information is available to personnel serving in Germany, including on insurance issues. However, the Ministry of Defence does not provide advice specifically related to legal assistance insurance, which is not a term we recognise.
	Service personnel, their dependants and UK based civilians working in Germany are able to seek free, confidential, legal assistance on personal issues from the Army Legal Assistance (ALA) scheme, which has been in place since 1960. The ALA scheme exists to reduce some of the disadvantage of serving overseas by offering soldiers and their families access to the sort of legal advice and assistance which would normally be readily accessible when stationed in Britain.

Meetings: Security

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many times since May 2010 the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (a) met and (b) stayed with Sir John Kiszely;
	(2)  how many times and for what reasons (a) Lord Dannatt, (b) Sir John Kiszely, (c) Sir Trevor Soar, (d) Richard Applegate, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) Sir Mike Jackson have visited his Department since May 2010;
	(3)  on what occasions and for what reasons the Minister of State for the Armed Forces has met with Sir John Kiszely since May 2010;
	(4)  if he will publish details of the occasions on which (a) Lord Dannatt, (b) Sir John Kiszely, (c) Sir Trevor Soar, (d) Richard Applegate, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) Sir Mike Jackson have visited his Department's main building since retirement;
	(5)  how many former three- and four-star personnel possess security passes for his Department's main building;
	(6)  what meetings Lieutenant General Richard Applegate has had with (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) senior military personnel since May 2010; and what was discussed at each such meeting;
	(7)  what meetings (a) General Sir Peter Wall and (b) General Sir David Richards have had with General Sir Mike Jackson since May 2010; and what was discussed at each such meeting;
	(8)  what meetings (a) Air Marshall Sir Stephen Hillier and (b) Lord Astor of Hever have had with Lord Stirrup since May 2010; and what was discussed at each such meeting;
	(9)  whether (a) General Sir David Richards, (b) General Sir Peter Wall and (c) General Sir Nick Parker have met Sir John Kiszley in an official capacity in 2012.

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many formal meetings have taken place between (a) Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, (b) Lieutenant-General Sir John Kiszley, (c) Lieutenant-General Richard Applegate, (d) General Lord Dannatt, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) General Sir Mike Jackson and Ministers and senior civil servants in his Department since May 2010;
	(2)  how many times (a) Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, (b) Lieutenant-General Sir John Kiszley, (c) Lieutenant-General Richard Applegate, (d) General Lord Dannatt, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) General Sir Mike Jackson have visited (i) his Department and (ii) other Government Departments since May 2010;
	(3)  how many times (a) Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, (b) Lieutenant-General Sir John Kiszley, (c) Lieutenant-General Richard Applegate, (d) General Lord Dannatt, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) General Sir Mike Jackson have visited (i) his Department and (ii) other Government Departments within two years of each of their retirements since May 2010;
	(4)  how many times (a) Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, (b) Lieutenant-General Sir John Kiszley, (c) Lieutenant-General Richard Applegate, (d) General Lord Dannatt, (e) Lord Stirrup and (f) General Sir Mike Jackson have visited (i) his Department and (ii) other Government Departments to discuss the final stages of a procurement bid with Ministers or senior officials since May 2010;
	(5)  on how many occasions the Minister of State for the Armed Forces has met Sir John Kiszely since May 2010; and on how many such occasions formal meetings of the meetings were taken;
	(6)  which people employed in the defence industry hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises;
	(7)  how many people employed by companies who have contracts with his Department hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 18, 19 and 22 October 2012
	Information on third parties who have passes to access the Ministry of Defence (MOD) main building is being compiled as part of the permanent secretary's review into allegations made in The Sunday Timesabout the access arrangements for retired personnel.
	Information is also being compiled on the number of occasions that senior retired officers have visited the MOD over the last few years.
	His review is expected to conclude shortly and I will write to the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) and the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Mr Murphy) when it is complete.

Military Bases

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which sites outside the UK armed forces personnel are based; how many personnel are based at each site, by service; and for what purpose.

Mark Francois: holding answer 4 December 2012
	The information requested is in the following table as at 1 October 2012:
	
		
			  Duty/purpose Naval service Army Royal Air Force 
			 Overseas total  730 18,000 1,980 
			      
			 Europe (excluding UK)  390 16,910 1,450 
			 Germany Garrison; attaché defence section support; personnel exchange programme; bi-lateral engagement 40 14,900 200 
			 Cyprus Garrison; support to operations 20 1,710 850 
			 Belgium NATO staff, defence diplomacy, EU 60 120 140 
			 Gibraltar Garrison; support to Gibraltar Patrol Boat Squadron 120 40 60 
			 Italy NATO staff; attaché and defence section support; personnel exchange programme; bi-lateral engagement 50 50 40 
			 Netherlands NATO staff; personnel exchange programme; attaché and defence section support; bi-lateral engagement 30 40 90 
			 Portugal NATO staff; bi-lateral engagement 20 — 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Norway NATO, attaché and defence section support, personnel exchange programme; bi-lateral engagement; individual and collective training 20 10 10 
			 France EU, training; personnel exchange programme; capability development; bi-lateral engagement 20 10 20 
			 Czech Republic NATO; EU: bi-lateral engagement; collective training — 10 — 
			      
			 Asia (excluding middle east)  60 180 20 
			 Brunei Gurkhas, individual and collective training, secondment; defence sales 10 130 10 
			 British Indian Ocean Territory (inc. Diego Garcia) Wider regional engagement/influence; support to operations 40 — — 
			 Nepal Gurkha support — 20 — 
			      
			 North Africa/middle east  80 150 140 
			 Saudi Arabia Bi-lateral engagement; wider regional engagement; attaché and defence section support; defence sales; training; counter terrorism 20 40 70 
			 Oman Bi-lateral engagement; wider regional engagement/influence; attaché and defence section support; defence sales; individual and collective training naval support, training; counter terrorism 20 40 30 
		
	
	
		
			 Bahrain Bi-lateral engagement; wider regional engagement; attaché and defence section Support; defence sales; Training Naval Support; support to Operations; counter terrorism 20 — — 
			 Kuwait Training; bi-lateral engagement; wider regional engagement; attaché and defence section support; defence sales; individual training; counter terrorism — 20 10 
			      
			 Sub-Saharan Africa  10 210 10 
			 Kenya BMATT; wider regional engagement/ influence; attaché and defence section support; defence sales; individual mentoring and training; counter terrorism — 170 — 
			 Sierra Leone Training; wider regional engagement/influence; attaché and defence section support; individual mentoring and collective training; counter terrorism — 20 — 
			      
			 North America  170 480 330 
			 United States Personnel exchange programme; attaché and defence section support; defence sales; collective training; capability development 160 100 300 
			 Canada Personnel exchange programme; BATUS 10 380 30 
			      
			 Central America/Caribbean  — 10 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Belize Wider regional engagement/influence; individual mentoring and collective training; counter terrorism — 10 — 
			      
			 South America  — 10 — 
			      
			 South Atlantic  — 40 30 
			 Falkland Islands Garrison; support to Atlantic Patrol Task (South); wider regional engagement/ influence — 40 30 
			      
			 Oceania  20 20 10 
			 Australia Personnel Exchange Programme; wider regional engagement/influence; attaché And defence section support; defence sales; capability development 20 20 10 
			 Rounding: 1. Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. 2. Where countries have 5 or less personnel, these are rounded to zero and the country does not appear in the table. 
		
	
	To specify the numbers of personnel at exact locations within these countries would incur disproportionate costs.
	The UK Regular forces figures represent the number of service personnel that are stationed at that location. This may differ from the actual number of people working at that location at that time eg due to deployments. It does not include those in operational theatres such as Afghanistan or the Falkland Islands, nor does it include figures for civilians employed in support of the military personnel.

Public Appointments

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department last assessed (a) the utility and (b) the value of psychometric testing in its recruitment and selection of candidates for public appointments on advisory boards.

Brandon Lewis: Based on .our central records, my Department has not used psychometric testing in its recruitment and selection of candidates in any of its recent public appointments to advisory boards. All recruitment and selection to our non-Departmental Public Bodies is conducted within the principles set out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, i.e. that the appointment procedures adopted should be proportionate to the size and purpose of the public body in question and the post (s) to be filled.

Public Appointments

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's policy is on the payment of travel expenses to candidates in respect of their attendance at assessment centres and interviews when pursuing applications for selection to a public appointment.

Brandon Lewis: The decision whether to pay travel expenses to candidates for attendance at assessment centres and interviews is a matter for each public body to consider at the appropriate time.
	As a general rule, candidates are encouraged to use the most cost effective method(s) of transport that will help them reach their destination safely, in good time and in reasonable comfort. Wherever practicable, travel should be by public transport and reimbursement should be made on production of appropriate receipts.

Travellers

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of Slovak Roma in the UK; and if he will make an assessment of the distribution of Slovak Roma in the UK.

Don Foster: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 November 2012, Official Report, column 734W. The Government holds no statistics or estimates on the number or distribution of Slovak Roma, or Roma generally, in the UK.

Travellers

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Foreign Secretary on the integration of Slovak Roma in the UK;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Foreign Secretary on the potential funding streams from the European Union budget for support to aid integration of Roma entering the UK.

Don Foster: Ministers (and officials) within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to discuss a range of matters.

Ofsted

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the budget for Ofsted will be in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15 and (d) 2015-16; and how many (i) full-time staff and (ii) inspectors it employs.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Member, providing him with the information requested, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Sir Michael Wilshaw, dated 10 December 2012
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
	Ofsted received its budget allocation for 2012-15 in the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review. No budget has yet been announced for-2015-16.
	Ofsted's budget allocation for (a) 2012-13 is £171.0m (b) 2013-14 is £159.6m (c) 2014-15 is £142.3m. The figures for 2013-14 and 2014-15 do not include any further budget reduction announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.
	As at 30 November 2012 Ofsted employed (i) 1,146 full time staff and (ii) 520 inspectors (494.1 full time equivalents).
	A copy of this reply has been sent to David Laws MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the amount of service pupil premium that will be allocated to each parliamentary constituency in 2013-14; and what percentage change that will be compared to in 2012-13.

David Laws: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and allocations have so far been made for the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 only. The service premium, introduced as part of the main pupil premium, is provided to schools in respect of children whose parents are serving in the armed forces. Eligibility for the service premium has been extended for 2012-13 to include children whose parents have died in service and who are in receipt of pensions under the Armed Forces Compensation scheme (AFCS) and the War Pensions scheme (WPS). We are also ensuring that those children eligible for the service premium in 2011-12 and who would otherwise no longer be covered will retain their eligibility. In England, 52,370 children qualified for service premium in 2012-13. Annex A which provides a breakdown of the service premium by parliamentary constituency for 2012-13 has been placed in the House Libraries. The number of service children at constituency level is slightly lower than the national figure as it is not possible to identify at constituency level the number of pupils eligible for the service premium in alternative provision settings.
	In 2013-14, the service premium level of funding will increase to £300 per pupil. We are not yet able to provide estimates of the numbers of service children at parliamentary constituency level for 2013-14. As with the pupil premium, the service premium allocations for 2013-14 will be based on pupil numbers as recorded in the January 2013 school census which are not yet known. We intend to provide provisional allocations later in the year, based on pupil numbers from the January 2012 censuses.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils eligible for the pupil premium have been formally registered for the premium; and how many such pupils' schools are in receipt of the premium.

David Laws: In 2012-13, the pupil premium is being paid to over 21,000 schools in England, in respect of some 1,924,920 children. Pupils do not have to specifically register for the pupil premium as we identify eligible pupils from the School Census return, local authority return SSDA903 and Ministry of Defence child pensions data.
	Benefits data from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) suggests that around 200,000 pupils aged four to 15 in England are entitled to receive free school meals (FSM) but are not claiming. Some of these 200,000 pupils will still receive the pupil premium through our “Ever 6” FSM measure which extends eligibility to pupils who have claimed FSM at any point in the last six years. It is nevertheless important that all eligible pupils are registered for FSMs to ensure that pupils receive a healthy school meal, and that schools are able to attract the appropriate pupil premium funding for their disadvantaged pupils. That is why the Department has recently published research which highlights local areas where take-up rates are low(1).
	(1) ‘Pupils not claiming free school meals’ research can be found at:
	https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/RSG/AllPublications/Page1/DFE-RR235

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children will be subject to the pupil premium.

David Laws: In 2012-13, the pupil premium is paid in respect of some 1,924,920 children. The premium is paid to schools at a rate of £623 per pupil for children known to be eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children in care who have been continuously looked after for six months. The service premium, for eligible children of parents in the armed forces, is paid at a rate of £250 per pupil. In 2012-13 of the 1,924,920 children who received the premium, around 52,370 were eligible for the service premium.
	We do not yet know how many pupils will be eligible for the pupil premium in 2013-14 as we will need to include eligible pupils from the January 2013 school census. In 2013-14, pupil premium funding will increase from £1.25 billion to £1.875 billion per year.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding under the pupil premium was allocated to schools in Portsmouth for (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13.

David Laws: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011. Pupil premium funding is provided to schools which have on roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the deprivation premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the looked after child premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the service child premium).
	In the financial year 2011-12, 5,980 pupils in Portsmouth local authority area were eligible for the deprivation premium, the looked after child premium or service child premium, attracting £2.740 million.
	In the financial year 2012-13, 8,500 pupils in Portsmouth local authority area were eligible for the deprivation premium, the looked after child premium or service child premium, attracting £5.029 million.
	In 2013-14, pupil premium funding will rise from £1.25 billion to £1.875 billion per year. This will enable the level of funding for the deprivation and looked after child premium to increase to £900 per pupil and the service child premium will increase to £300 per pupil.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much has been spent as part of the pupil premium in (a) the north-west, (b) Cumbria and (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency since introduction of the premium; and how many schools have received funding through the premium in (i) the north-west, (ii) Cumbria and (iii) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

David Laws: holding answer 4 December 2012
	The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011. Between April 2011 and March 2013, £275,303,000 of pupil premium funding has been allocated to the north-west, £11,965,000 has been allocated to Cumbria local authority and £962,000 has been allocated to Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.
	I can confirm that, nationally, over 99% of schools have pupils that attract the pupil premium. We are unable to provide the exact number of schools, as it is for local authorities to decide whether to allocate the premium to non-mainstream provision. Rather than allocate the premium to these schools, the local authority may decide to hold it back to make central provision for the relevant pupils.
	In 2013-14, pupil premium funding in England will rise from £1.25 billion to £1.875 billion per year.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much has been allocated through his Department's Summer School Programme to date; and how much funding has been budgeted.

David Laws: holding answer 17 December
	In 2012, 1,748 schools took part in the first year of the Summer Schools programme. 63,829 disadvantaged pupils were invited to attend of whom 38,170 took up the offer.
	The Department for Education budgeted up to £50 million in 2012-13 for the programme. The programme was voluntary for schools and in the first year £23.8 million has been allocated.
	The 2013 Summer Schools programme has been announced and further details will be shared with schools early next year. Our aim is to give them more certainty about the 2013 scheme earlier in the school year.

Schools: Admissions

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons his Department does not gather information on pupil turnover rates.

David Laws: The Department's approach is to collect data at child level that can then be used for a wide range of analyses. The National Pupil Database (NPD) is populated with data from child level data collections and to an extent it is possible to use NPD data to calculate measures of pupil turnover by tracking where pupils attend school at different points in time. Pupil turnover can however be defined in a number of ways, depending on the purpose.
	The 2012 School and College Performance Tables will for the first time include a measure linked to turnover. Key Stage 2 tables will show the attainment and progress of non-mobile pupils, defined as those who have been in the same school throughout years 5 and 6. Similarly, the Key Stage 4 tables will include non-mobile pupils, defined as those who have been in the same school throughout years 10 and 11.

Schools: Asbestos

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on (a) the presence of asbestos in schools, (b) the effect of asbestos management on the condition of school buildings, (c) incidences of schools being closed due to discovery of asbestos and (d) the removal of asbestos from schools; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what guidance his Department provides to governors and headteachers of free schools and academies regarding the management of asbestos in schools;
	(3)  what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed in respect of incidences of asbestos-related diseases of people working in schools;
	(4)  if he will introduce a central online register, accessible to the public, identifying school buildings whose fabric contain asbestos and providing information on regulations for the management of asbestos and compliance of those schools with such regulations; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: The Department for Education does not collect information on the presence and condition of asbestos in schools. The Control of Asbestos Regulations requires duty holders—local authorities or schools themselves—to collect this information. Nor does the Department collect information on incidences of schools being closed due to the discovery of asbestos or the removal of asbestos from schools. These are matters for the duty holders and the local management of schools.
	On-line guidance on managing the risks from asbestos containing materials was published on the departmental website on 24 October. This is aimed at headteachers, school governors, other members of the school management team and those who oversee the maintenance and repair of school buildings:
	www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/buildingsanddesign/managementofpremises/b00215518/asbestosmanagementschools
	The Department has not commissioned any research into asbestos related diseases of people working in schools. A research report was commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) relating to a case control study that covered teachers as well as other professions and this was published in 2009. HSE also publish analyses of mesothelioma mortality by occupational groups including teachers. The approach to the management of asbestos as enacted by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 is informed by the results of such research.
	A central national register of school buildings containing asbestos is unnecessary as it would duplicate records which those responsible for managing asbestos are required to keep. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, schools must maintain and regularly update an asbestos register with the location and condition of asbestos containing materials in the school.

Schools: Inspections

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements are in place for an education institution to follow when it is unhappy with the conclusions reached in an Ofsted inspection.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. The Deputy Chief Inspector, Education, Children's Services and Skills, John Goldup, has written to the hon. Member, providing him with the information requested, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from John Goldup, dated 12 December 2012
	Your recent Parliamentary question has been passed to Ofsted for response. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is away, and I am replying on his behalf.
	Where concerns arise during an inspection, education institutions can raise them immediately with the lead inspector so that they can be dealt with quickly whilst the inspection is taking place. Concerns can also be raised at the feedback stage, where they are recorded.
	Following the inspection, schools receive a draft report for factual accuracy checks and comments. Any outstanding concerns can be raised in a written response and resolved informally prior to publication of the inspection report. If it has not been possible to resolve the concerns informally, the institution can make a formal complaint.
	A complaint may be made, in writing or online, at any stage during an inspection or up to 30 calendar days from the date a report is published—or 30 calendar days from the end of the inspection where there is no report. Where there is good reason, Ofsted may look at complaints up to three calendar months from the inspection.
	The complainant is sent an acknowledgement letter within one working day of Ofsted receiving the complaint, and this explains the investigation process and timeframe. To ensure independence, only Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) or additional inspectors employed by the inspection service providers who have had no prior involvement in the inspection are deployed to investigate complaints.
	Ofsted's target is to provide a substantive response to all aspects raised within 25 working days from receipt of the complaint. If the investigation cannot answer concerns within 25 working days, Ofsted keeps the school informed about when they will receive a response.
	If a school is not satisfied after receipt of a response, they may write to Ofsted's second stage complaints manager to request a review of the handling of their initial complaint. The request must be made within one-month of the date of Ofsted's response to the original complaint.
	The second stage complaint investigation is carried out by one of Ofsted's senior HMI managers who have had no previous involvement in the case. The review considers whether the original complaint was handled fairly and properly and if all the matters raised by the complainant have been fully investigated. Ofsted will normally respond within 20 working days. This concludes the complaints handling process within Ofsted.
	If the school still remains dissatisfied with the way the complaint has been handled they may appeal to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted. They are required to send their complaint to the adjudication service within three months of the date of the second stage complaint investigation response letter. The submission of this appeal must be on a prescribed form.
	If a school is not satisfied with the outcome of the adjudicator's review, they can write to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to David Laws MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Special Educational Needs

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether, under the Government's new funding arrangements, a further education or sixth form college which enrols students with a learning difficulty or disability from more than one local authority will have to request (a) additional support funding and (b) top-up funding from each of those local authorities; and if he will encourage local authorities to develop standard procedures in this regard.

David Laws: One major aspect of our funding reforms is to bring together all funding for those young people with high cost additional support needs into a single system, in which local authorities will be both commissioner and funder. The purpose of the reforms is to enable integrated health, education and social care plans for high needs young people and create a more level playing field, by ending the current different funding treatment for different types of institution providing for the same young people.
	From the 2013/14 academic year the funding for each high needs student will be provided to all institutions through three distinct elements. Element 1, the core education funding for the course being studied, and Element 2, the first £6,000 of support for the additional support will go directly from the Education Funding Agency.
	Local authorities will have an enhanced role whereby each will have a single high needs budget to cover their education funding responsibilities for all provision for high needs children and young people resident in their area. The Education Funding Agency will transfer a budget to each local authority, element 3, to put them in funds to perform this role, based on spend for high need students resident in each local authority area. Top up funding, defined as element 3, is the funding required above elements 1 and 2 to meet the total costs of the education provision and will require colleges and other institutions to work with the local authorities that place young people.
	Local authorities are encouraged to develop standard procedures and, although statutory duties towards young people with special educational needs remain unchanged the Department is attaching two important conditions to these arrangements. The first is that local authorities are required to continue with existing placements when the new arrangements come into effect, and the second is that local authorities will be required to look at placements in all institutions on a fair and equivalent basis.

Teachers: Males

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many boys who were (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals attended a primary school at which there were (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three full-time equivalent male teachers in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Laws: The requested information is shown in the table.
	Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals as at January 2012 is published in the Statistical First Release 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2012' is available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001071/index.shtml
	
		
			 State-funded primary schools (1,2) : number of boys known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in schools with one, two or three full-time equivalent male teachers (3,4) 
			  Number of boys known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals (3,4) Number of boys not known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals (3,4) 
			 State-funded primary schools with one full-time equivalent male teacher(5) 90,215 415,525 
			 State-funded primary schools with two full-time equivalent male teachers(6) 83,440 359,995 
			 State-funded primary schools with three full-time equivalent male teachers(7) 60,180 239,065 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies and free schools. (3) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. (4) Pupils who have full time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part time attendance and are aged between five and 15. (5) Includes schools with one but less than two teachers. (6) Includes schools with two but less than three teachers. (7) Includes schools with three but less than four teachers. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: School Census (January 2012) and School Workforce Census (November 2011)

Arthritis

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration the Government has given to the implementation of a best practice tariff to support the care of people with early inflammatory arthritis.

Daniel Poulter: A new best practice tariff will be introduced in 2013-14 for patients referred to an out-patient clinic with suspected early inflammatory arthritis. The aim of this best practice tariff is to improve clinical outcomes and reduce short-term morbidity and long-term disability.

Arthritis

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to improve the care of people with rheumatoid arthritis in primary care.

Norman Lamb: Guidance on the contribution of primary care towards the care of people with rheumatoid arthritis is available from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), and a NICE quality standard is in preparation. In addition, the Government proposes to implement the four new indicators relating to rheumatoid arthritis recommended by NICE for the Quality and Outcomes Framework. In the meantime, primary care clinicians may wish to take account of the "10 standards of care" published by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, in particular standard 2, which refers to the "red flags" which may aid early diagnosis.

Arthritis: Young People

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support he makes available to young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Daniel Poulter: We expect the national health service to meet the needs of young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, in line with the new guidelines for the NHS issued by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in February 2012. The Department funds NHS Choices which provides information for young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or their families on their condition, and access to sources of further information, such as that provided by Arthritis Care, and information on how to access treatment across primary and secondary care. From 2014, young people with special educational needs resulting from their juvenile idiopathic arthritis, will have an Education, Health and Care plan, setting out the support from the three sectors, and be entitled to receive a personal budget to pay for their continuing health care.

Clinical Trials: Young People

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of access to clinical trials by (a) young people and (b) young people as they transition to adulthood.

Daniel Poulter: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency reports that there has been at least a 30% increase in the number of trials in the United Kingdom involving children under the age of 18 years since the introduction of the European Paediatric Regulation in 2007. This legislation obliges new medicines and those being investigated for new uses to have paediatric development plans in return for a reward of extended supplementary patent protection.
	The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Medicines for Children Research Network (MCRN) was established to improve the co-ordination, speed and quality of trials and other well-designed studies of medicines for children and adolescents. Recruitment to trials and studies hosted by the MCRN has increased from 331,226 in 2008-09 to 595,540 in 2011-12. Data on recruitment to MCRN studies by age are not routinely collected.
	The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) established a Teenage and Young Adult Clinical Studies Group in April 2005. The group has two main remits: to ensure that teenagers and young adults are considered for and have opportunities to enter disease-specific research protocols generated by NCRI Clinical Studies Groups that relate to specific disease areas; and, where appropriate develop and promote specific protocols for studies in the teenage and young adult age group with particular reference to:
	psychosocial factors in that age group;
	special biological factors, relating to the aetiology and behaviour of cancer in that age group;
	research into the optimal provision of health care for patients in that age group; and
	occasionally to develop and promote new specific therapeutic trials in this age group ensuring adequate statistical power is obtained by appropriate national and international collaboration.

Drugs: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for the treatment of children have proven mood altering effects.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is not held by the Department. I have asked the Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to write to the hon. Member with this information. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Epilepsy

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment he has made of the level of avoidable epilepsy mortality in the UK and in other European countries; and if he will review his Department's guidance on that issue.

Norman Lamb: No. comparative assessment has been made of the level of avoidable epilepsy mortality in the United Kingdom and in other European countries. In the case of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), which is the largest cause of epilepsy related death, heightened awareness among pathologists and coroners has led to better reporting. It is therefore inappropriate to compare national statistics across different countries.
	The previous Administration published the National Service Framework (NSF) for Long-Term Conditions in 2005 as a 10-year strategy to improve access, experience and outcomes for people with a long-term neurological condition. By implementing the NSF's Quality Requirements, local service commissioners would support improvements to areas such as diagnosis, treatment and information provision, which would reduce the risk of seizures and epilepsy related deaths. We have made no overall assessment of the effectiveness of implementation of the NSF, though the Long-Term Neurological Conditions Research Initiative has provided some information on its impact.
	The mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board sets out the objectives for the national health service and highlights the areas of health and care where the Government expects to see improvements. The objectives in the mandate focus on those areas identified as being of greatest importance to people "and include reducing premature deaths and managing on-going physical and mental health conditions. In terms of the latter, the mandate seeks improvements in the way care is provided to people by centring care on the person rather than on the specific condition.

Health: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent comparative assessment he has made of the well-being of children in the UK and other European countries.

Daniel Poulter: The report of the latest World Health Organisation International Health Behaviour of School Aged Children Study (HBSC) was published in May 2012. The Department funds the England survey of this study.
	The HBSC study is an international collaborative study that focuses on the health behaviour and social context of young people. England has been represented since 1997. The England survey collects data on over 4,000 young people aged between 11, 13 and 15.
	The survey examines the broader social environment of young people, including their family, school and community, and moves beyond simply monitoring the prevalence of risk behaviours among young people. It provides a means to understand and respond to the social determinants of health and well-being.
	Young people's life satisfaction was measured across all countries. The findings for young people in England follow similar trends across the international survey.
	Higher life satisfaction is correlated with higher family affluence.
	Boys tend to have higher life satisfaction compared to girls across all ages, however English boys do not show a decrease in life satisfaction as they get older:
	at age 13, 91% report high life satisfaction compared to 88% at age 11.
	Girls report a decline from age 11 to 15 in life satisfaction.
	England is ranked in the top half of the 43 countries for life satisfaction at ages 13 and 15, but in the bottom third at age 11.
	The findings for self-reported health show that England is close to the HBSC average at each age group. As is seen in most HBSC countries, girls report a decrease in self-reported health as they get older. England does not follow the trend for boys, however, with a decrease seen at age 13 (followed by a drop at age 15).
	A full copy of the report can be found at:
	www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/health-topics/Life-stages/child-and-adolescent-health/publications/2012/social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.-health-behaviour-in-school-aged-children-hbsc-study

Health: Greater London

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used to determine the level of public health transition funding for the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: In common with other primary care trusts (PCTs), Sutton and Merton PCT received transitional support funding which included a combination of fixed, reflecting transition costs felt by all public health services irrespective of size, and population based costs, reflecting costs that vary with the size of the public health unit that is moving to the local authority.
	Where a PCT covers more than one local authority we recommended that these monies be divided on the basis of population.

Mental Health Services: Lancashire

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated for mental health provision in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb: Information is not available in the format requested. Funding for national health service services is currently allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs). PCTs commission services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations, taking account of national and local priorities. From 2013-14, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for the allocation of resources to clinical commissioning groups.
	The following table shows the reported spend for adult mental health services in Lancashire by PCT. Data is not available by constituency. Pendle falls within East Lancashire PCT.
	
		
			 £000 
			 PCT 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 NHS East Lancashire 32,619.63 29,476.36 33,227.02 
			 NHS Central Lancashire 33,739.91 35,646.03 41,861.71 
			 NHS North Lancashire 37,962.08 38,649.64 36,509.82 
			 Notes: 1. The report, which is conducted independently by Mental Health Strategies, is commissioned annually by the Department and published on the Department's website. 2. The survey is non-mandatory and includes some estimated data. 3. Data cover services provided for working age adults (age 18-65). Source: 2011-12 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services, Mental Health Strategies (2012)

NHS: Finance

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether each NHS trust in England will hit their financial target for this financial year.

Daniel Poulter: At quarter one of 2012-13, national health service trusts (excluding foundation trusts) are forecasting an overall surplus of £71 million.
	There are five NHS trusts forecasting a gross operating deficit of £160 million at quarter one of 2012-13. These are South London Healthcare NHS Trust (£54 million operating deficit), Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust (£40 million operating deficit), Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (£26 million operating deficit), Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (£19 million operating deficit) and North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (£21 million operating deficit).
	While it is important to recognise the strong overall financial position of the service, it remains important to focus on the small number of organisations who are not managing their finances. The Department is continuing to work in conjunction with strategic health authorities to make sure the organisations reporting a deficit have robust plans in place for financial recovery,, while continuing to improve the quality of services to patients.
	Additionally, it is important to ensure that these organisations are in a suitable position to meet the requirements for foundation trust status moving forward.

Plastic Surgery

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the three most common cosmetic surgery operations have been in each year for which information is available;
	(2)  how many cosmetic surgery operations have been conducted in the UK in each year for which information is available.

Daniel Poulter: Data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), the professional body for cosmetic surgeons in the United Kingdom, indicates that breast augmentation, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and breast reduction were the most common cosmetic surgery procedures carried out in 2011. The total number of cosmetic surgery operations carried out by members of BAAPS in each year is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Total number of cosmetic surgery procedures carried out by BAAPS members 
			 2003 10,738 
			 2004 16,367 
			 2005 22,041 
			 2006 28,921 
			 2007 32,453 
			 2008 34,187 
			 2009 36,482 
			 2010 38,274 
			 2011 43,069 
			 Source: BAAPS 
		
	
	We do not have data on cosmetic surgery procedures carried out by surgeons who are not members of BAAPS.

Smoking: Death

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have been caused by smoking in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated December 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths have been caused by smoking in each of the last 10 years. (134310)
	Deaths due to smoking-related illness cannot be directly estimated, as smoking status is not included on the death certificate. However, research published by the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care in August 2012 estimated that one in five deaths were attributable to smoking in England in 2011. The report Statistics on Smoking: England, 2012 is available at:
	https://catalogue.ic.nhs.uk/publications/public-health/smoking/smok-eng-2012/smok-eng-2012-rep.pdf
	The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and cause are published annually on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/index.html

Smoking: Health Education

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people are employed in local NHS stop smoking services in (a) each primary care trust area and (b) England in 2012-13; and how many such people are planned to be employed in local NHS stop smoking services in 2013-14;
	(2)  how much funding his Department has allocated to local NHS stop smoking services in (a) each primary care trust area and (b) England in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not hold data on the numbers of persons working in stop smoking services in each primary care trust area or in England as a whole.
	The Department does not directly fund stop smoking service activity. Funding that was allocated in 2012-13 for services was allocated by primary care trusts. Funding for 2013-14 will be allocated by the local authority from the ring fenced public health budget.

Varian Medical Systems UK and Hospital Corporation of America

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many meetings officials of his Department have had with representatives of (a) Varian and (b) HCA International since 2010; and what was discussed at each such meeting;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's document on the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case for the national proton beam therapy (PBT) service development programme, section 4.11, if he will publish the private correspondence with University College Hospital, London that forms the basis of annual PBT cost base;
	(3)  with reference to his Department's document on the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case for the national proton beam therapy (PBT) service development programme, section 4.11, whether (a) Varian Medical Systems and (b) HCA International were involved in assessing the annual PBT cost base;
	(4)  with reference to his Department's document on the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case for the national proton beam therapy (PBT) service development programme, section 4.10, whether (a) Varian Medical Systems and (b) HCA International were involved in the costing discussions with University College Hospital, London and The Christie Hospital, Manchester.

Anna Soubry: Since 2010, no meetings have taken place between officials of the Department and Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) International or Varian Medical Systems.
	However, the previous Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), visited Varian Medical System's United Kingdom plant on 12 July 2012 where he was given a presentation about their business in the UK. Radiotherapy technology was discussed, as well as the capital fund negotiated with the NHS Supply Chain to bulk purchase medical equipment for the national health service.
	With regard to the Value for Money Addendum to the Strategic Outline Case for Proton Beam Therapy, neither Varian Medical Systems nor HCA International were involved in any of the costing discussions with the two trusts, or in assessing the costings. There are no plans to publish correspondence entered into with trusts or other detailed working papers produced in the development of the Strategic Outline Case and Value for Money Addendum.